For two months out of the year, Fairburn, Ga. becomes the fictional town of Newcastle, the site of the Georgia Renaissance Festival. Much like an actual 16th-century village, there is no cell service, and transportation options in the village are limited to foot and steed. In Newcastle, it is unclear whose accents are legitimate and whose are the product of lifelong passion for an unplaceable period in time where there are fairies, dragons, copious imbibements and the occasional wench.

Concluding its 40th season on June 1st, the Georgia Renaissance Festival offers a fairytale like no other.

Recommendations

Performers

• The joust is the highlight of the festival day: enjoy drama and combat on steeds, where one honorable knight will take the crown
• The Barely Balanced acrobats put on a gravity-defying performance that is sure to delight guests of all ages.
• The Puppies of Penzance showcases the incredible talents of several hounds who have given up their lives of crime on the high seas to entertain.
• Celtic Mayhem offers melodies with Irish flair for all those who are willing to listen.
• Old Soul Silk Road shall fill your ears with lovely ballads and odes, but be warned that their siren songs are not suitable for guests of all ages.

Food and Drink

• Turkey legs are classic Renaissance Faire sustenance and a great source of protein. 
• Mead is the beverage of choice for many fair sires and ladies. The Georgia Renaissance Festival offers libations from Monk’s Meadery. Pace yourself, the line for the privies is long, winding and full of potty-training toddlers and dipsomaniacs. 
• For those with a sweet tooth, the fried cheesecake is a treat that can only be found within the gated kingdom of Newcastle (or maybe a midwestern state fair). It is gooey, sweet and topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. One order comes with two pieces, so share it with your most worthy confidant. 
• Mac & Cheese is available in various forms, including on a stick and in a bread bowl. Load it up with extra cheese and bacon for the most delicious, savory bite. 
• For a more carnivorous option, the King’s Weinie is a royally large hot dog best served with mustard (it is suitable for sharing!). Long live the King! (and his Weinie)

Shopping

• Vendors will hover the footpaths of Newcastle and ask to taint your wrist with their latest perfumes. Purchase a frankincense roll-on fragrance and enjoy the scent of Newcastle wherever your journey takes you. 
• Though the Renaissance may be known for ethanol-rich beverages, many storefronts carry artisanal teas. Wind down with loose-leaf lavender tea of yesteryear for months after the gates close on your visit. 
• For those whose wardrobe lacks old-timey flair, vendors of wares are willing to help solve this problem. Handcrafted leather goods, corsetry and frocks are available throughout the land.
• Handcrafted jewelry is available for every taste, ranging from flower crowns to custom glass pendants.

Itinerary 

• Before the festival day: Make or procure a costume
  • Although technically not a requirement, the King reserves the right to bar entry due to dress (or lack thereof). For the most immersive experience, consider a frock or tunic. Do not tie your corset too tightly, as you need to leave room for the food and beverages you will indulge in throughout the festival day. Comfortable shoes from the modern era are highly encouraged, or else you are liable to acquire blisters. Although a medical tent is on site, it specializes in balancing humors and bloodletting (kidding, but seriously, wear sneakers). 
• 8 a.m.: Prepare to time travel to lands of yore. 
  • Screenshot your tickets ( Newcastle is outside the range of modern cell service).
  • Pack sunscreen, bug spray, water and cash (many vendors will scoff if you try to convince them your colorful plastic card is valid form or currency).
• 9 a.m.: Depart for your journey. 
  • If you are on Tech’s campus, it is recommended to leave early to account for the traffic that can accumulate as guests’ steeds and automobiles create a large queue at the faire entrance. Given the unpredictability of the Atlanta highways, it is possible you will get waylaid on your voyage. Gates open at 10:30, and the King encourages early arrivals to make the most of the festival day he has prepared.
• 10:30 a.m.: Gates open
  • The royal family invites the plebians into their fine kingdom after much fanfare, including speeches. Have your tickets ready, and prepare for the King to heckle passersby. Be sure to acquire a map of the grounds and a schedule of events upon entry. 
• 10:31 a.m.: Visit local vendors for refreshments. 
  • Traditional mealtimes do not exist in Newcastle; get a funnel cake or a turkey leg before the lines get too long. It is five o’clock everywhere, except on Sundays before half past noon, during which time alcohol sales are prohibited. If you plan to be the village drunkard, consider attending on Saturday to imbibe for the entire day. 
• 11: a.m.: Be entertained
  • Consult the festival schedule for the day to identify the entertainers you wish to support, and make your way to their stages. Be prepared for audience participation and to tip the best performers (modern denominations are preferred to historically accurate amounts). 
• 12 p.m.: Visit the Joust
  • The must-see event of the day is the joust. Watch knights and dames fight for their honor on horseback, no one knows how it will end!
• 2 p.m.: Snack Time
  • A day of walking around Newcastle will surely work up an appetite, so be sure to make another visit to the food vendors around the village. Explore the culinary world of yore and indulge in fried cheesecake or a mac & cheese bread bowl! 
• 4 p.m.: Become a patron of the arts
  • Many bards and troubadours reside within Newcastle, offering musical stylings for all tastes. For the little laddies and lassies, artists performing on the outdoor stages are perfect to lend your listening ear to. For those in search of the shadier citizens, the artistic stylings available at the pubs around town shall be offering that which you desire.
• 6 p.m.: The Gates Close on Newcastle
  • Your festival day has concluded. Be sure to curtsey or bow to the king and queen on your way out, lest they disallow your attendance at the next festival!

The post 12 Hours at the Georgia Renaissance Festival appeared first on Technique.

Joann closed her doors on May 31, after 82 years, the crafting community lost the final store chain that catered to fiber arts. Sewers, knitters and crocheters alike now must flock to online spaces or accept the shameful range of options available at the remaining big-box craft stores. Despite the issues that led to its downfall, the closure of Joann Fabrics and Crafts is a significant loss for crafters and represents a loss of community to the commercialization of hobbies.. 

Joann stood out from the other big box craft stores, for her superior fabric and yarn variety compared to Michaels, and for avoiding the ethical concerns associated with Hobby Lobby. Michael’s stock is typically limited to quilting fabrics and acrylic yarn, while Joann had apparel and upholstery fabric and more yarns, making it a relative haven for fiber artists. Meanwhile, supporting Hobby Lobby feels morally ambiguous at best due to their history of smuggling historic artifacts internationally and denying employees the right to birth control as a part of their employee healthcare. 

When the remaining brick and mortar options are as abysmal as this, the only alternative is online retailers. Online shopping for fabric and yarn is much more difficult than it might seem, as the physical feel of these materials is critical to the success of the project. Without being able to see and feel materials before purchasing, shopping online becomes a constant guessing game.

Joann sowed the seeds of her own downfall far before she declared bankruptcy by misunderstanding her consumer. My local Joann location began stocking more and more home decor items, removing shelf space from the craft supplies that were really what most customers wanted. Kitschy holiday decor and quote signs were not the only inventory blunder, but the quantity of specific craft supplies became a burden on shelf space as well. At my local location, instead of the specialty fabrics that were only available at Joann, they expanded their selection of fleece (their line called Blizzard Fleece) and quilting cottons. Their selection that once was unique began to resemble the disappointing stock available at their competitors, disappointing customers, including myself.

As Joann neared her deathbed, more and more aisles were filled with out of season decor marked down on clearance and shelves full of fleece that nobody wanted to buy. Much like witnessing flowers wilting, each subsequent visit to Joann was more disappointing and depressing than the last. Each time, more of what once made it special was missing, until one day when it was all gone. 

Though a misunderstanding of consumers was a piece of the puzzle, private equity truly put the nail in the coffin. Joann’s declared bankruptcy twice in the span of a year, the first time emerging as a private company. The second time, in January, GA Group purchased the chain and then  announced the closing of 500 of their 800 stores on Feb. 12. Not even two full weeks later on Feb. 24 the group announced a full liquidation schedule to be completed by the end of May. Instead of working to fix the financial issues, this private equity group immediately opted to simply bleed Joann dry of whatever could be salvaged. 

It might sound inconsequential to lose a fabric store, but it means more than just having to shop online; it means the loss of a third space for crafters to meet each other, ask for advice, and get inspired. Losing this space, especially at the hands of private equity and poor overhead decisions, hurts all of the crafters and makers who once flocked to Joann to find materials and community.

In the void that the loss of Joann has created, there are two potential infills: a new chain specializing in apparel fabrics and yarns may flourish, or makers will now have to settle for the drudge of online fabric shopping and have our community relegated to online spaces only.

The post RIP Joann Fabrics (Eulogy from a crafter) appeared first on Technique.

Joann closed her doors on May 31, after 82 years, the crafting community lost the final store chain that catered to fiber arts. Sewers, knitters and crocheters alike now must flock to online spaces or accept the shameful range of options available at the remaining big-box craft stores. Despite the issues that led to its downfall, the closure of Joann Fabrics and Crafts is a significant loss for crafters and represents a loss of community to the commercialization of hobbies.. 

Joann stood out from the other big box craft stores, for her superior fabric and yarn variety compared to Michaels, and for avoiding the ethical concerns associated with Hobby Lobby. Michael’s stock is typically limited to quilting fabrics and acrylic yarn, while Joann had apparel and upholstery fabric and more yarns, making it a relative haven for fiber artists. Meanwhile, supporting Hobby Lobby feels morally ambiguous at best due to their history of smuggling historic artifacts internationally and denying employees the right to birth control as a part of their employee healthcare. 

When the remaining brick and mortar options are as abysmal as this, the only alternative is online retailers. Online shopping for fabric and yarn is much more difficult than it might seem, as the physical feel of these materials is critical to the success of the project. Without being able to see and feel materials before purchasing, shopping online becomes a constant guessing game.

Joann sowed the seeds of her own downfall far before she declared bankruptcy by misunderstanding her consumer. My local Joann location began stocking more and more home decor items, removing shelf space from the craft supplies that were really what most customers wanted. Kitschy holiday decor and quote signs were not the only inventory blunder, but the quantity of specific craft supplies became a burden on shelf space as well. At my local location, instead of the specialty fabrics that were only available at Joann, they expanded their selection of fleece (their line called Blizzard Fleece) and quilting cottons. Their selection that once was unique began to resemble the disappointing stock available at their competitors, disappointing customers, including myself.

As Joann neared her deathbed, more and more aisles were filled with out of season decor marked down on clearance and shelves full of fleece that nobody wanted to buy. Much like witnessing flowers wilting, each subsequent visit to Joann was more disappointing and depressing than the last. Each time, more of what once made it special was missing, until one day when it was all gone. 

Though a misunderstanding of consumers was a piece of the puzzle, private equity truly put the nail in the coffin. Joann’s declared bankruptcy twice in the span of a year, the first time emerging as a private company. The second time, in January, GA Group purchased the chain and then  announced the closing of 500 of their 800 stores on Feb. 12. Not even two full weeks later on Feb. 24 the group announced a full liquidation schedule to be completed by the end of May. Instead of working to fix the financial issues, this private equity group immediately opted to simply bleed Joann dry of whatever could be salvaged. 

It might sound inconsequential to lose a fabric store, but it means more than just having to shop online; it means the loss of a third space for crafters to meet each other, ask for advice, and get inspired. Losing this space, especially at the hands of private equity and poor overhead decisions, hurts all of the crafters and makers who once flocked to Joann to find materials and community.

In the void that the loss of Joann has created, there are two potential infills: a new chain specializing in apparel fabrics and yarns may flourish, or makers will now have to settle for the drudge of online fabric shopping and have our community relegated to online spaces only.

The post RIP Joann Fabrics (Eulogy from a crafter) appeared first on Technique.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is as inescapable as the Atlanta pollen, but users are glossing over the extreme environmental and ethical issues as companies replace jobs and students trade hard work with AI-generated garbage. Generative AI is an unregulated beast that will take everything from entry-level jobs to authentic artwork and leave us with nothing if we do not change. AI squanders the resources it requires and must be trained on the backs and minds of actual people without their consent, often failing to provide helpful or accurate answers. Using generative AI platforms in place of a normal search engine is not only bad for the user due to potential misinformation, but is also unethical and lazy. 

The training and maintenance of generative AI models utilize gargantuan amounts of energy and water and create ridiculously high carbon emissions. Quantifying exact numbers is difficult for the industry as a whole, but researchers estimate that in the next two years, AI could make up 0.5% of the world’s electricity consumption. This might not sound like much until you consider that this would mean AI would utilize as much as the entire country of Argentina. 

A study from Cornell estimated that within the same timeframe, the amount of water utilized to cool AI data centers will reach half of England’s annual water consumption, or more than four times the usage of the entire country of Denmark. This is simply a waste of valuable resources that we cannot afford  in the face of a growing climate crisis. 

While the exact impact of the entire AI industry is difficult to measure, the impact of individual models is easier to track. For example, the training of GPT-3 created about 500 tons of carbon dioxide. This is equivalent to the average annual electricity consumption of over 127 American households and 108 cars. Recall that this is only for the training of a single version of a single AI model, and it dwarfs the impact that a single person has throughout their entire lifetime of living or driving. 

The training of GPT-3 also used over 180,000 gallons of water, equivalent to the daily drinking water requirements of about 218,000 people. In a world where 1 in every 11 people lacks access to enough clean drinking water, this is both unethical and disturbing. 

Beyond the environmental impact, the ethical concerns behind every single AI model are wide- reaching. In particular, the data that developers use to train these models is sourced broadly and without consent. In 2023, the Atlantic reported that Meta trained its Large Language Model (LLM) on thousands of stolen and pirated works, and experts are warning that developers are training AI on any content you have posted online that isn’t behind a login wall (such as a public Instagram account or a LinkedIn profile). Artists and writers across the board have made their anger public as massive companies use their works to train various models that generate both images and text, leading to over 30 copyright infringement cases in the United States alone. 

Training these models on personal data, articles, stories, artworks and any other creations that users like you and me have shared online is inherently wrong, especially for posts made before the advent of generative artificial intelligence entering the mainstream. Those who shared their creations had no way to agree to companies training AI models on their work and retroactively opting out is hardly an option. 

The information generative AI programs peddle is false far more often than many people realize. Researchers have found that GPT-3 agrees with false statements up to over a quarter of the time and cites incorrect sources up to 60% of the time. When the energy required for a single request from ChatGPT is ten times that of a single Google search and gives you the wrong answer, I question what scenario generative AI is ever better than a traditional search engine. Even if the massive amounts of water and energy AI demands or the art it steals doesn’t matter to you, the fact that you are quite likely to receive an incorrect answer should. 

Do you really want to support technology that is stealing your data, destroying the environment and stunting your capabilities every time you use it? 

If so, it is time to do some self-reflection.

If not, it is time to stop using AI.

The post Cool Kids Don’t Use AI Instead of Google appeared first on Technique.

The foundation of America is based upon the value of democracy as a departure from monarchy to ensure that its citizens would be free and equal in the eyes of the government. President Trump appears to be fashioning himself in the style of a king, suggesting he is above the laws of the land and even explicitly referring to himself as the king. This tyrannical behavior not only flouts the basic expectation that a president should be a law-abiding citizen but is downright unpatriotic and un-American. 

Trump has begun referring to the possibility of running for a third term despite the fact that the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution explicitly prohibits such an event from happening. As a convicted felon on 34 different counts, it is unsurprising that Trump would believe himself to be above the law. No person should be exempt from following the law, especially the President. 

The American public is taking Trump seriously, with over half of Americans polled believing he will attempt to run for a third term. American citizens are accustomed to his disrespect for the democratic process and peaceful transfer of power, as he has previously called for his supporters to storm the United States Capitol building because he disagreed with the results of the 2020 presidential election. 

His claims are in line with an imperialist tyrant. Trump has claimed that Canada should become the 51st state, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau even confirmed these threats as real in a hot mic moment. Trump has also stated that he would like to take control of both Greenland and the Panama Canal and that he is willing to utilize military force to achieve this goal. To threaten military force to take control of multiple locations abroad is the act of a dictator, not of an American President.

Even more disturbing than his disregard for the laws of our country is his seeming hope to turn his presidency into a monarchy. His belief that democracy should be overturned and that he should be crowned the king requires not only hubris, but also the unpatriotic devaluation of democracy. 

Woven into the fabric of our nation is the deliverance from the archaic system of nobility and monarchy. Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution states that “no title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States,” explicitly stating that the despotic systems of monarchy and nobility have no place within our country.

Trump not only hints at his royal delusion through his desire to conquer foreign lands as his own, but he explicitly calls himself a king. On February 19th, the official White House account tweeted “long live the King,” accompanied by a strange parody cover of Times magazine that says “Trump” in place of “Times” and depicts him wearing a crown. More than any of his tyrannical claims and references, this explicitly shows that Trump believes that he ought to be, or already is, the country’s king.

To disregard and disrespect the founding values of our nation to such a degree as to suggest a monarchy with himself at the helm, Trump engages in behavior that is plainly un-American. The leader of a nation should not be a person who desecrates the country’s values. They must be held accountable to these values.

Trump’s behavior reflects his principles or lack thereof. His values are not only unpatriotic, but his devaluation of democracy is wholly un-American.

The post The danger of the Trump is king rhetoric appeared first on Technique.

There is immense power in the actions of everyday individuals, yet some people still make choices they know are bad for the world around them under the guise that “individual actions don’t matter.” On the contrary, the power to make meaningful change in the world around lies in the hands of the people. Companies and corporations will always put their bottom line first, so how you spend your money can change the companies. The actions of individuals, especially when made en masse, have the power to shape the future of our planet.

Many great changes have come from people taking a stand for what they believe in. From the American Civil Rights Movement fighting segregation to the more contemporary example of the #MeToo movement on social media, fighting the good fight has come down to individuals, not huge organizations. Using the power of collective individual action must now expand from social movements to the environmental struggle as the effects of overconsumption and waste worsen.

One of the most important ways people can positively impact the world today is through making sustainable choices. People can choose now to reduce the physical waste they will leave behind long after they are gone. People pushing for environmentally sustainable change have already made an impact, as evidenced by the eight states that have banned plastic straws as a result of the backlash online after a video surfaced of a turtle that had a straw stuck through part of its head. The shift in consumer preferences for more sustainable options has also led to wider availability of packaging-free options and refillable packaging.

But, one of the most significant ways that individual consumers can change their environmental impact is through their clothing consumption habits. Fast fashion has recently become the target of sustainability discourse, and for good reason. The fashion industry makes up over 10% of the world’s pollution, with 10% of the microplastics in the ocean coming from washing synthetic fabrics and 20% of the world’s wastewater resulting from dying fabrics. The scale of the industry’s impact is in part due to the demand from the distorted clothing consumption habits Americans have come to think of as normal.

The average American discards over 80 pounds of clothing annually, replacing what they throw out with over 50 new pieces. This vicious cycle of buying and discarding clothing contributes to why over 11 million tons of clothing end up in American landfills every year. 

If you double the amount of times you wear all of your clothing, you would be able to halve the impact of your wardrobe without having to do anything besides using what you already have. 

With the incredible volume of clothing people are regularly trying to get rid of, the secondhand market is full of enough clothing to fulfill the needs of the next six generations without needing to produce a single new garment. Every time you choose to buy secondhand instead of purchasing something brand new, you are reducing waste not only by using something already on the planet rather than something created for you, but you are also avoiding the pollution waste that comes from newly produced garments.

If people bought half of their clothes from a secondhand source, without even changing their overall rate of consumption, this would save millions of tons of clothing from landfills and millions of tons of carbon emissions every year. 

Even small changes in clothes washing habits can significantly impact carbon emissions. According to Earth.org, if a person reduces the number of times they run their washing machine by one-sixth, avoid the hot water setting and air dry their clothing, they would cut their consumer emissions by more than 50 percent.  

These small choices to source clothing secondhand and shift laundry habits can incredibly reduce emissions and physical waste. But it can’t just be one person — if people work to convince their friends and family to shift their habits as well, the positive impact would be exponential.

When it comes to the environment, it is true that no one person has the power to make choices that save the world, but the world will never change without the actions of individuals who want to see positive change.. 

You have the power to make choices that can change the world for the better, so will you?

The post Individual Action Actually Matters appeared first on Technique.

Note: This is a companion piece to Parker Avery’s article, here. 

In a world where the default form of communication is texting, one of the most disrespectful actions people can do is not text someone back. While you do not need to be on call 24/7 and put down whatever you are doing to respond immediately to a text message, taking longer than roughly a day to respond to people is rude and inconsiderate. 

Texting is the preferred communication of the majority of Americans under 50, making it the default communication option when you are asking a friend to make plans, asking your parents for photos of the family pet, trying to see if a coworker could switch shifts or trying to find a time to meet up with a group project. Failing to respond promptly can disrupt plans and signal a lack of respect for the other person’s time.  

America has one of the most individualistic cultures in the world, and one of the symptoms of this in today’s culture is the view that you do not owe the people in your life anything. Some argue that the needs and wants of others should be each person’s top priority, and that asking someone to go out of their way is wrong — that you should never ask your friends for a ride to the airport or ask for help moving. Viewing relationships in this manner has us treating our friends the same way we treat a cashier—transactional. Not only is this view isolating it devalues the relationships in our lives in a way that degrades the fabric of community thread by thread.

The idea that you should owe no one anything easily translates into a mindset that you do not owe someone a text back. It comes at the expense of those left waiting on you, framing interaction and communication with your friends as a chore or task, instead of an important and enjoyable part of maintaining meaningful relationships. 

This outlook, in combination with the digital format of texting, can make it feel like you are interacting with someone random online instead of a good friend or family member. This makes it much easier to write off your behavior’s impact on the person on the other side of the phone.

Whether scheduling imminent plans or just sending a funny picture that reminds you of a friend, it is incredibly frustrating to wait days for a response, or not even get one. It is deeply hurtful to be ignored or deprioritized by a friend, and even more so to be ghosted by one. In a world where so many of our interactions are digital, neglecting a friend like we would a news notification pushes us closer to a culture that dehumanizes connection.

One of the most basic forms of respect you can show another person is to respect their time, especially by communicating rather than pushing them off to the side. People owe it to those in their lives to show them respect in the form of responsiveness within a reasonable time period rather than ignoring them.

There are times when a response is not warranted, but the circumstances making one unable to respond for days on end ought to be few and far between. 

Ignoring texts from the people in your life for days on end is not only disrespectful of their time but is just plain rude. It costs nothing but a little bit of time to reply to someone and pay them the basic respect of communication. Reflecting on the people in your life, the amount they value your relationship, and how much they respect your time through texting can be a valuable exercise when considering where you should put your effort going forward.

The post Yes, You Really Should Text People Back appeared first on Technique.

It is undeniable that we live in a car-centric society and that many people would benefit from improved public transit and walkability, but meaningful change doesn’t come from simply saying that cars are bad. Meaningful change requires compromise and a willingness for everyone to consider the merits of alternative viewpoints. In order for Americans to start considering urbanist talking points en masse, the conversation needs to dig far deeper than just saying that cars are bad and stating that public transportation will fix all of the woes of our society.

Ultra Urbanism is a viewpoint that has gained traction in online spaces like YouTube and Instagram. Some of the largest online creators in this space include YouTuber Not Just Bikes who mainly focuses on the transit infrastructure of Amsterdam and CityNerd who discusses transit struggles and options in North America. The main tenets of this view include the importance of public transport, walkable cities and decreasing reliance on cars. While these ideals are the foundation of cities with sustainable transport options, many spaces where ultra urbanists tout these views have turned into echo chambers where meaningful discussions about specific solutions never get discussed. 

These communities quickly turn into conversations of self-adulation, where those who promote this utopian future in which public transit suddenly becomes available are the enlightened ones, and those who raise questions about the path to get there must be horrible people who hate our planet. When insiders immediately attack the outsiders of a community with pretentious rhetoric, it creates a tremendous barrier to meaningful engagement with that community. Compounding the issue, if the ultra urbanist community does engage in discourse, discussion can quickly reach a stalemate as the other party feels like they’re being attacked without warning. 

One of the best examples of this is when Not Just Bikes, posted a series of (now deleted) tweets stating that people should “just give up on North America” and that those who are “trying to fix the US” are “watching the wrong channel.” This attitude gets to the very core of the problem with online ultra urbanism: they are only arguing about the “utopia” that cities like Amsterdam are with strong transit infrastructure while refusing to propose solutions for places like North America. 

When urbanists immediately jump to hating cars and those who drive them, it feels like a personal attack on anyone who is a car lover or even just commuters who must drive to work every day. Saying that cars are bad and that everyone should immediately stop driving and take the MARTA instead ignores many very real barriers that exist between today and Atlanta becoming the next Amsterdam. 

There are many solutions, from investing more money into public transport systems to building better cycling infrastructure, like we see on campus today, to addressing the economic reasons people have to live driving distance from their jobs. Yet, none of these solutions are at the forefront of the rhetoric of urbanism. Instead, at the forefront of urbanism is trolling people who are victims of the system that urbanists claim to want to address. The worst of this community abandons nuanced solutions that do not fit easily into an Instagram caption or YouTube title to make it easier for content to do well on social media, creating more polarizing content and conclusions.

It can be almost impossible to convince those who believe cars are the ultimate evil that there are utilitarian or cultural benefits to cars. It neglects the reality of those who live in rural areas and therefore require access to a personal vehicle to get groceries or even mail. There are millions of Americans completely written out of the conversation because in this imagined sustainable microcosm everyone would need to live in a dense urban center for the urbanist pipe dream to come true. Refusing to understand the weight and sense of alarm that comes with telling people they need to overhaul a major part of their lifestyle, especially by shaming them for choices beyond their control, is a terrible way to convince people of your opinions. 

Furthermore, the failure to acknowledge that the geographic and cultural differences in different places impact the optimal solution to infrastructure problems reflects the inflexible and shallow nature of the argument that public transit can fix everything from the climate crisis to economic stratification. 

Until urbanists are willing to engage with alternate viewpoints, consider that there are scenarios in which cars make more sense than public transit, or bring fresh solutions to the table. It is highly unlikely that those who do not see the need for public transit will have their minds changed by mildly inflammatory Instagram posts that equate the negative impact of an individual who drives a car with companies that cause oil spills.

The post Ultra Urbanism Needs Nuance: Why Dismissing Cars Won’t Necessarily Drive Change appeared first on Technique.

The clothes a person wears reveal the story they want to tell to the world. Someone can choose to convey their music taste by wearing merch, show off their wealth through designer bags or perhaps reveal that they have spent the last 24 hours studying in Price Gilbert. Celebrities and politicians make these displays often — using clothing to portray a message beyond the words they might be saying. Vice President Kamala Harris utilized strategic styling throughout her presidential campaign to take on the impossible challenge of simultaneously presenting herself as an equal to the men standing around her while also acknowledging her femininity.

Much like other prominent female politicians, Harris is dressed nearly always in a well-tailored pantsuit in hues of gray or blue. Where Harris differs from other female politicians is in the style of blazer she gravitates toward. Former Democratic presidential nominee and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton favored a blazer with a Mandarin collar buttoned to the top, which omits the inclusion of a visible blouse. In contrast, Harris typically wears a notched-lapel blazer, allowing her to utilize blouses as part of her look. While the lapel of a blazer may not seem significant, it changes the entire look of a suit, making it much more akin to the suits that her male counterparts sport.

By choosing to wear pantsuits styled like those worn by male politicians — and in similar dark-neutral colors —Harris positions herself on the same playing field. This is a stark difference from Clinton, who positioned herself as a female politician first rather than simply a politician. Throughout her campaign, Clinton frequently discussed the fact that she would be the first female president if elected and placed this at the forefront of her campaign strategy. Conversely, Harris rarely acknowledged her womanhood or the other ways that her potential presidency would have been historic; she would have not just been the first female president, but also the first South Asian president. 

However, Harris did not completely isolate herself from feminine fashion. Through the blouses that she wore at key campaign events, Harris referenced the styles of important figures in feminist history. Specifically, the “pussy-bow-blouse,” a blouse with a frothy bow at the center-front. The style itself dates back to men’s fashion in the 1700s but had a resurgence in the 1950s when Margaret Thatcher favored the style. Thatcher was the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and earned the nickname the “Iron Lady” for her uncompromising approach to politics. The style continued to be popular for women in politics and the workforce during the second half of the 20th century as they fought for equality in the workplace.

During the presidential debate, Harris wore a black suit with a white pussy-bow-blouse and an American flag pin on her lapel. The structure of the suit aligned with the navy suit that Trump wore, presenting Harris as an equally capable opponent, while silently nodding to the women of the last century who fought for social and political equality for women. Similarly, she donned a dark purple suit paired with a matching dark purple pussy-bow-blouse to deliver her concession speech, echoing the same sentiments with a slightly more somber tone. 

By pairing a more traditional pantsuit with a feminine blouse with an iconic feminist history, Harris engaged in the paradox inherent to her campaign: she herself is a woman running on the continued fight for equality while simultaneously presenting herself as an equal to the men she stands next to on the political stage. It’s a powerful statement, especially when running against an opponent with a history of demeaning women, all while showing supporters that she embraces the value that her experiences as a woman bring to the role.

The post VP Harris’ style: the paradox of womanhood appeared first on Technique.

Women carry out work on a daily basis which goes unseen and unrespected by the people around them, including eldest daughters like myself. Today, more and more people recognize the unpaid and underappreciated work that women often carry out in the home. In my life, this manifests in my experience as an eldest daughter, where it can feel like I might crush under the weight of invisible expectations. This issue seems to be hardwired into society, with adults giving girls more responsibility — a job that looks more like a pseudo-caretaker — from a younger age compared to their brothers and boy cousins. The work I’ve done every day for the people around me, and the work that many eldest daughters do, often gets taken for granted. 

The roots of these expectations go far beyond my specific familial role, as they are woven into  the misogynistic assumptions about women that many people unconsciously harbor. Even if all eldest daughters do not relate to some version of my experience, it is worth examining how the patriarchy often stereotypes women as natural homemakers, inherently skilled at organization, time management, the execution of interior decor and much more. A person free from these assumptions might imagine it is a good thing to be assumed to be skilled at something, but unfortunately, this is far from the reality. 

When a skill is assumed to be inherent to a person, they receive no support in developing it. Automatically, they are treated as failures if they do not naturally possess the “womanly” skills of homemaking and organization. Similarly, if they do have these skills, all tasks relating to them eventually become the woman’s responsibility. For many eldest daughters, these expectations can force them to act as encyclopedias for all familial matters. In my life, that means being aware  of everyone’s schedules, how their responsibilities fall into these schedules, the last time the dishwasher ran, how well my younger siblings are doing in school and what my siblings might want for Christmas, all the while staying on top of all of my own responsibilities. Not only am I the curator of all of this information, but I am the place family members go when trying to come up with gift ideas or gauge how someone else in the family might be doing. 

This emotional responsibility can easily become a burden. As soon as my school workload gets heavier or I’m fighting with a friend, I suddenly have a smaller capacity to carry all the extra information about everyone else floating around in my brain. This feeling can apply to anyone in a caretaking role. What once was easy to keep up just days ago can become an overwhelming stressor, only compounding one’s anxiety about whether or not they can handle all that her family or friends expect of them. 

In my life, these responsibilities go beyond just keeping track of things going on around the house — I was responsible for driving my siblings to school and sports practices, holding down a part-time job, and, of course, maintaining a high GPA to get into a good college. When it came  time to apply for college, I handled the application process myself, just as the people around me have expected me to handle everything else in my life. Then, when it came time for my younger siblings to apply for college, the same family that bragged  about my accomplishments came  running to me for advice as they did not have the vaguest idea of where to even start. This cycle is constant —  not just college applications, but job applications, drivers’ licenses, shopping for business casual clothes for the first time and so much more.

Although these are personal experiences, I can assure you that countless eldest daughters have carried unseen burdens for years and have felt their work taken for granted. For me, it was knowing what my brother still needed for his college packing list, the difference between the ACT and SAT and where to find professional clothes nearby, but, for someone else, it could be making sure their siblings eat breakfast or contributing to family finances. 

You may not see it unless you’re looking closely, but eldest daughters carry this burden with them wherever they go. Acknowledge their labor that often goes unnoticed — it makes a difference.

The post The Unseen Burden Carried by the Eldest Daughters appeared first on Technique.